]]>Brazil has soccer, the Philippines has basketball! As coverage of Philippine basketball, including select full games, is coming to merchant ships through KVH’s NEWSlink Print, SPORTSlink, and IP-MobileCast, we ask just how the sport got so big in the Philippines.

The Origin of Basketball – The Most Popular Sport

What have peaches got to do with basketball? Well, let us tell you… the sport itself was born in the USA. Back in 1891 a physical education instructor, James Naismith, was puzzling about an indoor game which could keep his players fit and sharp during the cold winter months. Based out of the YMCA in Springfield, Naismith devised a game with a soccer ball and two baskets. He divided his class of eighteen into two teams and taught them the objective of the game.

It was pure simplicity: throw the ball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while someone applied some common sense and the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.

The teams found the game quick to pick up – even the name was simple. Initially it had been suggested it be named after the inventor – but he said, “We have a ball and a basket: why don’t we call it basketball?”

Basketball is Born

The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892. The game, as we know and love it today, had arrived – and even the soccer balls were replaced by the Spalding ball, which is so recognizable and associated with the game – from Madison Square Garden, to parking lots around the globe…even on the decks of ships!

The YMCA had a major role in spreading basketball throughout the United States, Canada, and the world. It was introduced to the Philippines by the YMCA early in the American colonial period (1898–1946) and was an important part of an overhaul of the education system.

The Philippines won several medals in various pan-Asian competitions over the next few decades. Winning the 1913 Far Eastern games was an incredible moment for the nation. This was the springboard that made basketball what is it is today, the most popular sport in the Philippines.

Philippine Basketball Heroes

Basketball is played on both the amateur and professional levels. Almost everywhere you look in the country, on the streets of Manila or along pristine beaches of Boracay, or in flashes amongst the forests of Bataan – you will see people sporting the colors of their favorite teams.

Why did basketball take off the way it did? When the Americans brought organized sport to the country, they focused on baseball and basketball, but it was the hoops that took off. Perhaps it is easy to understand why. Basketball doesn’t need a big field or soft surfaces to dive around on. The game requires little space, no maintenance, no expensive gear, and no required number of players for a social game.

Its accessibility is a real key to why so many people play it – and it is fast and entertaining too. Basketball suits the life of Filipino teenagers well, and is easy to learn but hard to master. This strategic and dynamic nature makes the game rewarding for both players and spectators.

Let Us Entertain You

Filipino fans love being entertained, enjoy being kept on the edge of their seats by the game’s unpredictable twists. The last second baskets bringing the house down, the drama of time outs when the game is on the line…it has everything a sports fan could want, and the fast pace was one of the main reasons it has merged so well within the culture. It also helps that the Philippines has been successful over the years. Philippine basketball teams are a source of national pride for the country.

The Philippines won bronze at the 1960 FIBA World Championship, the highest finish to date of any Asian nation in the games (now the FIBA World Cup.) By 1975, the Philippines had established the Philippine Basketball Association, the first pro basketball league in the world outside of the United States.

The country’s love for the game continues. Nike reports that the Philippines is its third largest basketball market after the USA and China, and whether on the islands, or in the city – in the affluent areas of Makati or on makeshift courts in Tondo, basketball runs through the heart of the nation.

Social Phenomenon

Basketball is more than just a sport in the Philippines; it is also a commercial, social and, cultural phenomenon. Billboards, print advertisements, and television ads all over the country feature the sport or an athlete endorsing a product, from beverages to sports apparel.

Fashion and culture, too, are shaped by the sport. No self-respecting Filipino would be without the latest sneakers. Whenever seafarers get ashore, one of the first stops is often the nearest Footlocker to stock up on basketball shoes.

Pop Quiz: What are the most popular Nike Basketball shoes in the Philippines? The Kobe Bryant signature shoes and the Nike Hyperdunk

Nike recognizes the importance of the Philippines, with nearly 40 million people playing or having played basketball. According to one report, 81% of the urban population claim to be basketball fans, with nearly 50% being avid fans.

Basketball is also the number one sport in viewership and participation, with 99% of people aware of the NBA. Filipinos have more access to professional basketball games than Americans themselves, with games shown on cable daily, broadcasted across four to five channels simultaneously. Now it is even going to be shown on ships too – which is an incredible boost for Filipino seafarers and the sport itself.

Philippine Basketball – The Season Ahead

There is incredible excitement that seafarers are now able to keep up with basketball from home, just like their families and friends. Daily coverage will be available via NEWSlink Print special editions and full games from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) are now on merchant ships through KVH’s SPORTSlink and IP-MobileCast. So what does the season ahead hold?

Shaping Up

KVH is now distributing select complete PBA games to seafarers onboard ships for the 43rd and 44th PBA seasons. The Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City was rocking as the 2017-18 PBA Philippine Cup got underway, in a great game that ultimately saw the three-time defending All-Filipino champions San Miguel Beer blast past the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 104-96.

The Beermen fended off Phoenix’s late charge in the final quarter for their first win of the new conference. As they go hunting for a fourth consecutive All-Filipino title, it looks like it could get very tight in the matches and months ahead.

The experts think it could be one of the most dramatic seasons for years – with San Miguel Beermen, Barangay Ginebra, and Alaska Aces all with legitimate chances for the championship.

The Cup of Dreams

The PBA Philippine Cup is so popular in part because it is a tournament that does not allow teams to hire foreign players or imports. This means that it is the biggest test in Philippine sport.

Prior to 2004–05 season, the tournament was known as the PBA All-Filipino Cup. It is considered the most prestigious of the three conferences in a PBA season. The San Miguel Beermen are the conference’s current defending champions.

Since the 2006–07 season, the Jun Bernardino Trophy, named after former PBA commissioner, has been awarded to the champions. The trophy is made up of 24-carat gold plate, in which the champions can keep for a year.

A men’s professional basketball league, the PBA was the first such league in Asia and its popularity throughout the region is widespread. However, many of those fans have long missed out on seeing games because they serve onboard commercial vessels. Not any more though, as the full games are beamed to ships and likely to become a shipboard phenomenon.

The Numbers

400, 000 – how many Filipino seafarers working on commercial ships worldwide

6,445 – The largest attendance for a PBA game – set at the Philippine Arena for the tussle between Ginebra and Meralco

18,996 – Most career points by Philippines Ramon Fernandez in 1,074 games

197 – Most points by a single team. Ginebra San Miguel (vs. Great Taste, 168), November 21, 1985

105 – Most points by a single player – Tony Harris (Swift) vs. Ginebra San Miguel, October 10, 1992 at Iloilo City

53 – Age of the Oldest player, Philippines Robert Jaworski

22 – the shoe size of Shaquille O’Neill

18 – Age of the youngest player, Philippines Nick Bulaong

12 – The number of teams that make up the PBA

7’1″ – Height of the tallest player. Edward Joseph “EJ” Feihl the tallest Filipino professional basketball player ever to play in the PBA to date

4 – Most MVP wins. June Mar Fajardo joins Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio to win PBA MVP four times. However, the Kraken is the first player ever to win the award for four straight season

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]]>https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/philippine-basketball-why-so-popular/feed/0Life on the Dirona: Wanderings Made Possible by Connectivity at Seahttps://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/dirona-connectivity-at-sea/
https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/dirona-connectivity-at-sea/#respondMon, 20 Nov 2017 15:00:51 +0000https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/?p=5801Software engineers James and Jennifer Hamilton possess a never-ending wanderlust that sends them over the horizon. En route on an open-ended circumnavigation aboard their Nordhavn [...]

]]>Software engineers James and Jennifer Hamilton possess a never-ending wanderlust that sends them over the horizon. En route on an open-ended circumnavigation aboard their Nordhavn 52, M/V Dirona, the Hamiltons post extensive blogs on far-ranging subjects. One day there’s a tale of craft beer and scenic anchorages; another, there’s a gritty DIYer’s analysis about replacing engine mounts or repairing a crane with these stories shared with friends and followers thanks to their connectivity at sea.

From a yachting perspective, it’s all pretty standard fare. But wait, there’s more: The multi-skilled Hamiltons aren’t just geeks afloat, they’re hard-core technology addicts. As the couple cruises, James continues his role as vice president and Distinguished Engineer for Amazon Web Services. Jennifer, who has worked for IBM and Microsoft, manages Dirona’s passage logistics, itinerary, and website.

They aren’t shy about this lifestyle, they embrace it. Under the “technology” tag on their blog, you’ll find accounts of visits to a cruise ship; a scallop harvesting and processing vessel; a nuclear submarine; the Boston, Massachusetts, sewage treatment plant (it’s the second largest in the U.S.); a mining company; and a high-speed aluminum boat builder, to name a few of the dozens of posts.

So it only follows that when the Hamiltons cruised south along the North American East Coast, their itinerary included landfall in Rhode Island, where they could pay a visit to the KVH team at global headquarters and meet the team that makes their connectivity at sea a reality.

The Hamiltons already had an existing relationship with KVH, having provided user feedback as the company refined its groundbreaking Open Plans and enhanced mini-VSAT Broadband service in 2015.

While Brian Arthur, KVH vice president of product development, supplied details about the company’s origins and evolution, the Hamiltons toured various departments — engineering, network operations (which includes technical support), and manufacturing. They heard about the technology that drives KVH’s unique IP-MobileCast content delivery service, and chatted with the engineering staff.

Those brief visits to several KVH departments and offices allowed the Hamiltons to be kids in the candy store of technology. However, it was network operations, whose round-the-clock schedule features real-time network monitoring of the mini-VSAT Broadband network and TracPhone systems on vessels around the globe, as well as other data points about each vessel’s satellite connectivity, that excited them most.

Hear what Jennifer and James Hamilton have to say about:

Connectivity at Sea, a Requirement for a Life Aboard Dirona

Working Remotely While Traveling Around the World

The Value of Reliability

So where to next? They’ll keep on going “as long as it’s fun,” said Jennifer. “Having connectivity makes a huge difference. It’s awesome.”

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]]>https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/dirona-connectivity-at-sea/feed/0Telemedicine and High Speed SATCOM: A Vital Link for Saving Lives of Seafarershttps://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/telemedicine-high-speed-satcom-vital-link-saving-lives-seafarers/
https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/telemedicine-high-speed-satcom-vital-link-saving-lives-seafarers/#respondWed, 15 Nov 2017 14:15:11 +0000https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/?p=5850As fulfilling and compelling as a life at sea can be, it also carries with it dangers – whether your ship is your workplace or [...]

]]>As fulfilling and compelling as a life at sea can be, it also carries with it dangers – whether your ship is your workplace or it’s simply somewhere you go to relax and escape the busy world. The environment and the vessel itself offer risks, plus you can be faced with the frailty of the human body. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that, when at sea, you can’t simply call 9-1-1 and have a rescue crew drive up to your door moments later and the nearest rescue helicopter might be miles and hours out of range.

Think about these scenarios:

A crewman on a factory fishing ship feels numbing in his face and fears he’s having a stroke.

A guest begins experiencing chest pains while cruising on a superyacht hours from the nearest port.

The Seafarers’ Bill of Rights, the international set of labor standards protecting onboard employees, requires ship owners to offer crew medical care comparable to that onshore. But the onboard presence of medical professionals is far from common; regulations require a doctor onboard when crew and passengers number more than 100, but most merchant vessels and virtually all leisure craft run with far fewer crew.

The Rise of Telemedicine for Seafarers

For seafarers, the advent of radio and satellite phone services meant a certain degree of real-time access to doctors via telemedicine. The medical professionals on the other end of those radio or satellite phone calls offered a level of medical assistance in the most remote locations with the most unpredictable weather conditions and could make the difference between saving and losing lives.

Still, the effectiveness of the medical care is limited by the medium of the message – voice conversations with a perhaps untrained individual on the line attempting to describe symptoms or situations to a trained medical professional, who then needs to make a diagnosis and recommend a course of action.

Now think of the implications of technology that virtually all of us carry in our pockets – the ability to quickly and easily video chat via Facetime, Skype, or other services with anyone on earth who is on a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop. We take this tech for granted now on shore, but it’s been either an expensive luxury or a practical impossibility at sea due to the costs for data or the inadequate speed of the satellite connections.

But what if it was practical and far more affordable? How could seafarers, travelers, and businesses benefit from easy access to medical help with dedicated video conferencing plus onboard, networked medical monitoring equipment?

The Business Benefits of Telemedicine at Sea

Effective remote medical care not only make a difference in the lives and welfare of seafarers, it makes sense from a business standpoint, from both human resources and cost perspectives. Telemedicine increasingly plays a role in addressing onboard healthcare and crew welfare requirements, as well as the attendant financial considerations.

Every year, medical emergencies force one in five ships to divert from their course, at an average cost of $180,000 per diversion. A 2013 study found that at least 20% of the cases aren’t critical and could easily be avoided by using modern on-board telemedical assistance.

That’s a total cost of roughly $168 million annually for the shipping industry. The effective deployment of a high-speed SATCOM solution and basic video conferencing data would be a tiny fraction of this expense while paying huge dividends in cost savings.

High Throughput Satellites: Making Video Medicine a Practical Reality

The 60 cm KVH TracPhone V7-HTS, delivering speeds as fast as 10 Mbps (download) and 3 Mbps (upload) along with a free unlimited use data channel for global connectivity.

It’s the SATCOM connection that has always been the sticking point, either because the data rates were too slow to support high quality video or the data cost to do so was staggering. However, that has changed. The advent of high throughput satellites (HTS) has made streaming fast data rates a reality at sea.

KVH’s new TracPhone V7-HTS, together with the new HTS service, delivers download speeds of 10 Mbps and upload rates of 3 Mbps, easily able to support HD video conferencing. And with data that costs pennies per MB, access to that high-speed channel and the data needed is financially practical for fleets and yachts. With the unlimited use data channel that is also provided, there’s tremendous flexibility in how the vessel data and connectivity is managed, enabling operations and crew connections to run on the unlimited data use channel with the high-speed channel held in reserve for high priority activities, including medical emergencies, for example.

Improved safety at sea now becomes another compelling reason to pay attention to the advances in maritime SATCOM and the emergence of HTS connectivity like that offered by KVH and the mini-VSAT Broadband network. With a smartphone in every pocket and medical help a video call away, lives can be saved, crews can feel more confident in their safety at sea, and fleets can prosper.

]]>A key issue in the advancement of sensor fusion technology today is that the autonomous platform – car, robot, drone – must accurately assess the world around it and move accordingly, a complex endeavor. Despite advances made in navigation and guidance systems for unmanned and autonomous technologies, significant technical hurdles remain.

Limited temporal coverage – Some sensors require a specific set-up time to perform and transmit measurements

By fusing data from multiple sensors – optical/camera, LiDAR, GPS, and inertial measurement units, such as those developed by KVH – system designers can use different sensing technologies to overcome the weaknesses of others and, in many cases, exponentially improve overall system performance. Collectively, position, direction, motion, velocity, and other measurements are more useful than when considered separately. Advantages of sensor fusion include:

]]>You’re the ITC manager and your mission is clear: Deliver a satellite communications solution for the fleet and while you’re at it, hit these targets:

Meet the company’s operational needs

Satisfy shore and sea-based stakeholders

Don’t let it exceed the bottom line

Impossible? Not at all. Here’s an interactive guide for ITC managers from KVH that offers questions and options for each of your fleet’s business areas – operations, human resources/manning, safety and security, finance, engineering, and more – to assist in your planning, highlight new functions for consideration, and serve as a valuable tool as you create your SATCOM strategy.

Completing the checklist and assessment of needs will deliver a:

Better understanding of focus areas your service provider will need to address

Clear picture of your stakeholders’ requirements

Realistic assessment of anticipated data usage for operations and crew as well as your speed requirements

Knowing these details helps reduce your risk of selecting a service and package based on limited past use, rather than on your fleet’s future needs. If you’re still uncertain about committing to a VSAT service, there’s a no commitment, hassle-free solution for you: AgilePlans by KVH.

And here’s a tip: while the checklist is designed for use in print, as mentioned above, it is also an interactive PDF ideal for use on your laptop or tablet. In addition, it includes a guide to best practices as well as a comparison table of airtime service plan types. Use it as a resource with your fleet, and do yourself and your stakeholders a big favor.

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]]>https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/satcom-checklist-maritime-itc-manager/feed/04 Simple Questions to Get the Right SATCOM Solution for your Fleethttps://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/four-questions-for-satcom-providers/
https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/four-questions-for-satcom-providers/#respondThu, 07 Sep 2017 14:58:54 +0000https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/?p=5765Greater automation and remote control, as well as the incorporation of the onboard Internet of Things, are driving increased demand for a SATCOM solution that [...]

]]>Greater automation and remote control, as well as the incorporation of the onboard Internet of Things, are driving increased demand for a SATCOM solution that can send larger amounts of data affordably and reliably from ship to shore and back. And don’t forget the presence of a new generation of seafarers, the digital natives who expect to remain abreast of current affairs and in touch with family and friends while on tours of duty.

It’s hard to imagine how one could run a modern fleet without maritime satellite services. But every fleet has unique needs and with them comes the challenge of selecting the right SATCOM solution for those needs. As managers review plans and pricing scenarios, you may want to ask these four questions of providers to find out what you’re really paying for, and receiving, in return:

Asking the right questions up front is the best way to make sure you end up with the right solution for your vessels. Arriving at the final decision for your fleet requires you take the time and make the effort to assess critical needs, expectations for growth, and what factors will offer the greatest advantage in an increasingly competitive industry.

Ultimately, what you seek is an approach to maritime satellite pricing, delivery, and management that works for your fleet today and tomorrow.

Find out more about the Four Questions and what they mean for your SATCOM Solution:

A liquid office environment isn’t the only thing they have in common. As remote and autonomous underwater systems continue to prove themselves reliable, capable, and increasingly affordable, more marine-related commercial industries are following the lead of early military adopters and turning to subsea robotics solutions to help them perform their work.

Key to the success of this relationship between man and machine is sophisticated technology that enables navigation, control, positioning, and tracking.

For example, combat swimmers must carry out complex work while underway, including locating objects with sonar, mapping new routes, changing positions and adjusting payloads. Swimmers rely on propelled transport systems to get where they’re going. Their missions and the environment in which they work demand concentration, which is why the vehicles assisting combat swimmers must enable them to focus on the mission, rather than on controlling the vehicle.

Making Subsea Robotics an Easy-to-Use Reality

Ease of use was a goal of STIDD Systems, Inc., as it partnered with Greensea Systems to enhance and refine combat swimmer navigation and mission management capabilities for its Diver Propulsion Device (DPD).

“The real engineering task was to make this technology user-friendly in a combat diver application,” says Ben Kinnaman, Greensea Systems CEO and President. “This is a familiar theme in robotics, automation and even personal computers that extends back to the advent of modern computer science. Technology has enabled more powerful sensors with new capabilities in smaller sizes. However, we cannot simply focus on making a smarter machine. We have to consider our relationship with it and how we as operators will be affected. How will we use it? How will we communicate with it? How will it serve us? This was the critical issue in adding intelligence to the DPD.”

The successful end result – a user-friendly interface for the handheld RNAV2 navigation system used either with a DPD or alone — embodies the mission of Greensea Technologies. At the core of RNAV2 is a fully integrated navigation solution that includes the versatile KVH 1750 inertial measurement unit, which can be configured to accept data from multiple sensors.

“We focus on developing technology that improves the relationship between man and machine,” says Kinnaman. “We cannot just make smarter machines without addressing the man and his relationship with the machine. Operators have a new language and a new means of communicating with their now-smart co-workers, the vehicle partner. In years past, one of the shortcomings of adding more sensors to miniature subsea robotics has been the bandwidth. It wasn’t until we considered a unified system and broadening the bandwidth of the operator that we could start realizing the full potential of the technology we’re now delivering to these platforms.”

Learn More

As the platforms for operators improve, and the machines become smaller, lighter and smarter, what else lies around the corner? What’s a realistic vision for next-generation miniature subsea robotics, a technology that improves the relationship between man and machine to make the work they do better together – more effective, more efficient, more powerful – and safer?

To find out, listen to “Realizing New Potentials in Miniature Subsea Robotics,” a discussion with Kinnaman and Sean McCormack, Director of FOG & OEM Sales at KVH. They take a close look at how sensor fusion, and the incorporation of inertial units such as those developed by KVH, is integrated into undersea platforms to deliver levels of advanced navigation and automation previously unavailable in GNSS-denied environments.

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]]>https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/subsea-robotics-advanced-technology-in-machines-empowers-human-partners/feed/0Spoofs, Lies, and GPShttps://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/spoofs-lies-and-gps/
https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/spoofs-lies-and-gps/#respondThu, 31 Aug 2017 13:08:48 +0000https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/?p=5750The tale of the spoofing of the White Rose of Drachs is an interesting case study in how the GPS/GNSS system actually works, and how [...]

]]>The tale of the spoofing of the White Rose of Drachs is an interesting case study in how the GPS/GNSS system actually works, and how these systems can be tricked with false data. The article published in IEEE Spectrum was written by Todd E. Humphreys of the University of Texas in Austin, and Mark L. Psiaki of Cornell University. In it, they explain the protocols in place to protect the two types of coded signals sent by the U.S. GPS constellation, civilian and encrypted military, and what it takes to fool a GPS receiver. Working different sides of the spoofing aisle, Humphreys is the spoofer who created a system for fooling GPS receivers, and Psiaki is the anti-spoof defender. Their chronicle of the lies that GPS can be made to tell is enlightening in lots of ways.

GPS spoofing is a real and present threat to navigation as the story of the White Rose of Drachs proves. But to keep things in proper perspective, spoofing of this level is beyond the abilities of most hackers. The White Rose was the willing subject of an intentional GPS spoof experiment, but even so, providing false but convincing GPS signals to the superyacht was not easy.

For satellite-based navigation to be successfully spoofed, the hacker has to:

Be close enough to the target to determine its precise location,

Log the four or more satellites the target’s GPS receiver is picking up signals from,

Figure out the pseudorandom noise code (PRN) each satellite is broadcasting,

Then transmit false PRN signals on a direct line-of-sight to the target.

Although the spoofer device used on the White Rose is too sophisticated for the “average” hacker to assemble, according to both Psiaki and Humphreys, the necessary technology is available in many countries. There are rumors of North Korea attempting GPS spoofing, and private individuals as well.

In addition to laying out the three major ways that GPS spoofing can be detected, another important point is made in this tale of spoofs, lies, and GPS. That is the need to build awareness of the vulnerability of many of our electronic systems to faked physical signals. As more unmanned and autonomous systems are planned and rolled out for testing in various communities, we must consider the question of the vulnerability of the sensors helping these systems to navigate safely and reliably.

One of the ways makers of unmanned and autonomous systems are working to mitigate such vulnerability is sensor fusion – the integration of multiple sources of positioning, control and navigation data within a single navigation system. Most autonomous and unmanned navigation systems use at least three sensors; these might include but are not limited to LiDAR, radar, Doppler Velocity radar, side scan sonar, cameras, GPS and inertial systems. The multiple sensors provide accurate, reliable and robust data, which makes the navigation system much harder to fool with fake GPS signals alone.

A leading designer and manufacturer of inertial measurement units (IMUs) and inertial navigation systems (INS), KVH helps the navigation systems of unmanned and autonomous platforms avoid falling for GPS lies with sensor fusion navigation solutions. The compact KVH GEO-FOG 3D and 3D Dual inertial navigation systems feature algorithms much more intelligent than typical Kalman filters, enabling navigation and control that’s intuitive and robust. KVH’s easy-to-integrate inertial systems are a go-to solution in navigation and control systems to overcome GPS vulnerability when signals are weak, jammed or unavailable.

Learn More

For more about sensor fusion navigation solutions, watch the KVH Unmanned and Autonomous Webinar Series featuring experts in sensor fusion and navigation discussing subsea, aerial, and ground system autonomous navigation challenges.

]]>Today, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROV)s are capable of complex work that once required large and costly platforms. These miniature robotic machines, whose size represents significant short and long-term cost savings, also face navigation and control challenges.

Offshore industry expert Ben Kinnaman is well familiar with them.

“In the subsea industry, we don’t have the luxury of strapping on a GPS like our land and air brethren and knowing exactly where we are,” says Kinnaman, CEO and President of Greensea Systems, Inc. “We have to do that through inertial technologies and sensor fusion, an assortment of sensors measuring and observing individual states that fuse together to provide a navigation solution.”

To compensate for the loss of GPS/GNSS in water due to its electromagnetic opacity, observation class AUVs and ROVs are generally equipped with one or more navigation systems, which assist in a dead-reckoning position calculation from the last available surface GPS/GNSS waypoint.

While each individual sensor system has limitations — dropped signals, rate drops, and simple errors — a fully integrated platform can be created with integrated depth, heading-aiding sensors, and navigation-aiding sensors for a reliable, accurate inertial solution.

At the heart of the system is the inertial measurement unit (IMU), which measures orientation and acceleration, providing a baseline value for position relative to starting point.

This combination of navigation, control, and an intuitive user interface has made small vehicles easier to use, and now people who aren’t pilots can accomplish high-level tasks – and get the job done. “The focus can be on the mission and not just on operating the vehicle, thereby improving their situational awareness,” says Kinnaman. Operators can take a step back and get a big picture view of what the data is telling them.

]]>https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/solving-nav-challenges-autonomous-underwater-vehicles/feed/0Sensor Fusion: In Humans, It Just Happens but What about in Autonomous Vehicles?https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/sensor-fusion-in-humans-it-just-happens/
https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/sensor-fusion-in-humans-it-just-happens/#respondTue, 08 Aug 2017 12:29:55 +0000https://www.kvhmobileworld.kvh.com/?p=5730Don’t curse the elements the next time you’re confronted with a day of freezing rain and you need to run an errand. Think of it [...]

]]>Don’t curse the elements the next time you’re confronted with a day of freezing rain and you need to run an errand. Think of it as your chance to demonstrate why mankind still has the edge over machines through the wonders of sensor fusion. For now, anyway.

It’s rainy, it’s freezing, and walking is risky business. Our combined senses provide us with the ongoing ability to navigate, or step, cautiously. If we had to individually process and analyze separate sensory data inputs, the delay might cause us to injure ourselves by slipping on a frozen sidewalk before we realize that not only is it raining heavily, but the rain is freezing and the sidewalk is slick. In concert, our abilities of sight, hearing, and touch let us instantly, unconsciously, take stock and act appropriately – our natural sensor fusion. So pat yourself on the back – after you’re indoors, sipping your favorite hot beverage, and catching up on the day’s headlines – for the natural sensor fusion powerhouse you are.

As for that article you just spotted about driverless cars in your favorite daily paper, weekly news magazine, or online – here’s why sensor fusion matters there as well. Essentially, cars will need to collect and process huge amounts of data as fast or faster than humans and they’ll do so via sensor fusion.

Getting this technology working effectively and determining the optimal suite of sensors and software will be critical to ensuring that vehicle automation can actually bring major benefits to American transportation. Vehicle automation potentially will only increase safety, improving mobility for travelers, and increase energy efficiency while simultaneously reducing pollution. Last, but not least: driver error is a contributing factor in more than 90 percent of all crashes and costs the U.S. economy more than $200 billion per year in medical, property, and productivity losses, according to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the U.S. House of Representatives.

But how does sensor fusion work?

Radar, odometers, GPS – these devices may be familiar to you. Each is an example of a wide range of sensors, including inertial navigation systems like those developed and manufactured by KVH, that can be incorporated into unmanned and autonomous vehicle platforms, yielding data needed for accurate and trustworthy navigation, guidance, and control.

Not only that, the computational platform needs to not only mimic human sensing but perform better than a human not only in ideal road conditions but in compromised environmental conditions – fog, freezing rain, etc. – or situational anomalies like potholes or another vehicle backing out into the road that could fool the platform and put the vehicle in jeopardy.

So far, so good: Scientists and engineers are close to making that happen. Advances in sensor technology and processing techniques make it possible to combine and integrate fiber optic gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, pressure sensors, optical systems, and other sensing devices with onboard processing and wireless connectivity to begin to emulate the natural data fusion that occurs in biological systems.

In other words, sensor fusion can deliver a new, more integrated and efficient – almost human – way to sense position, direction, and attitude in navigation and control systems, and it’s increasingly considered key to the successful development of fully autonomous systems.

It’s all worth pondering, especially when the next errand confronts you on a cold, rainy day – and you’d rather not go out.